The Official Web Site of Rock Hudson :: About Hudson ABOUT ROCK HUDSON Biography His immaculate good looks, suave sophistication and stunning influence captured the hearts and minds of fans everywhere. As one of the most dashing silver screen stars of the 1950s and 1960s, Rock Hudson was the epitome of Hollywoodï¿½s leading man. Rock Hudson was born Roy Harold Scherer Jr. on November 17, 1925 in Winnetka, Illinois. His father, an auto mechanic, left the family when Rock was eight years old. Rockï¿½s mother, a telephone operator named Katherine Wood, was left to raise her son alone until she remarried Wallace Fitzgerald a few years later. Rock took his stepfatherï¿½s name when Fitzgerald adopted him, making his name Roy Fitzgerald. During his school years, Rock decided to become an actor, although he did not immediately pursue his goal. After graduating high school, Rock worked for the United States Postal Service before entering the Navy to serve as an airplane mechanic during World War II. When he arrived back in America after the war, Rock moved to California, where he had various jobs including driving a truck and working for a moving company.

Rock began to pursue an acting career by sending his photo to various Hollywood film studios and taking acting, singing, fencing and riding lessons. He changed his name from Roy Fitzgerald to Rock Hudson so it would be shorter, easier to pronounce and sound more masculine. Despite having no acting experience, these steps landed him a bit part in the 1948 film, ï¿½Fighter Squadron.ï¿½ This film marks the beginning of a career that lasted more than 30 years. Over the next few years, Rock scored parts in several films. His talent, stature and good looks made him an alluring box office draw.

In the early 1950s Rock began to win more major parts, acting opposite Yvonne De Carlo in ï¿½Scarlet Angelï¿½ and ï¿½Sea Devils,ï¿½ and starring in movies such as ï¿½Magnificent Obsession,ï¿½ with Jane Wyman, ï¿½The Lawless Breedï¿½ and ï¿½Seminole.ï¿½ In 1956, Rock starred in ï¿½Giantï¿½ with James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor, a role for which he won a Best Actor Academy Award nomination.

He also acted in a 1957 film adaptation of Ernest Hemingwayï¿½s ï¿½A Farewell to Arms.ï¿½ The next year, Look magazine named Rock ï¿½Star of the Year.ï¿½ Page 1:2 Rock Hudson - Biography - IMDb Rock Hudson Biography Showing all 111 items Jump to: Overview (5) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (1) | Trade Mark (5) | Trivia (69) | Personal Quotes (24) | Salary (6) Overview (5) 6' 5" (1.96 m) Mini Bio (1) Rock Hudson was born Roy Harold Scherer, Jr. in Winnetka, Illinois, to Katherine (Wood), a telephone operator, and Roy Harold Scherer, an auto mechanic. He was of German, Swiss-German, English, and Irish descent. His parents divorced when he was eight years old. He failed to obtain parts in school plays because he couldn't remember lines. After high school he was a postal employee and during WW II served as a Navy airplane mechanic. After the war he was a truck driver. His size and good looks got him into movies.

His name was changed to Rock Hudson, his teeth were capped, he took lessons in acting, singing, fencing and riding. One line in his first picture, Fighter Squadron (1948), needed 38 takes. In 1956 he received an Oscar nomination for Giant (1956) and two years later Look magazine named him Star of the Year. He starred in a number of bedroom comedies, many with Doris Day , and had his own popular TV series McMillan & Wife (1971). He had a recurring role in TV's Dynasty (1981) (1984-5). He was the first major public figure to announce he had AIDS, and his worldwide search for a cure drew international attention. After his death his long-time lover Marc Christian successfully sued his estate, again calling attention to the homosexuality Rock had hidden from most throughout his career.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Ed Stephan < stephan@cc.wwu.edu> Spouse (1) Moved from westerns to sob stories to sosphisticated comedies Towering, sculpted frame Ideal leading-man good looks Trivia (69) Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#28). [1995] The Prudential Life Insurance Co. stopped using its slogan "Own A Piece Of The Rock" after Hudson died of AIDS and many jokes were made about him and the slogan. He was cremated and his ashes are scattered into the sea. Went to the same school, New Trier Township High School East (Winnetka, Illinois), as Ann-Margret , Charlton Heston , Ralph Bellamy , Hugh O'Brian , Bruce Dern , Penelope Milford , Virginia Madsen and Liz Phair . Worked as a truck driver when he first moved to Los Angeles, but he spent his spare time idling outside of studio gates and sending photographs of himself to various producers. Talent scout Henry Willson coined the stage name, "Rock Hudson", by combining the Rock of Gibraltar and the Hudson River.

Although he tried out for roles in school plays, Hudson failed to win any because he could not remember lines. Enamored of movies as a teenager, he worked as an usher. Before taking his first film role, he got his teeth capped and was coached intensively in acting, singing, dancing, fencing and riding. Still, it took no less than 38 takes before he could successfully complete one line in his first picture, Fighter Squadron (1948). Production on the television series The Devlin Connection (1982) was suspended for a year while he was recovering from quintuple heart bypass surgery. By the time he had taken the guest role of Daniel Reece, a suave and stately horse breeder on Dynasty (1981) late in 1984, the AIDS virus was consuming him. Before long, he was suffering from memory loss and was forced to use cue cards to read his lines. He also had difficulty speaking.

The media first began to suspect he had serious health problems when he came to Carmel, California, in July 1985 to help his Pillow Talk (1959) co-star Doris Day launch her cable series, Doris Day's Best Friends (1985). His gaunt appearance and obvious disorientation suddenly became the focus of what was meant to be a joyous reunion of one of Hollywood's favorite on-screen couples. He died just three months later. Involved with Marc Christian during the period he knew he had AIDS, but did not disclose it to Christian. Christian hired Marvin Mitchelson , and sued Hudson's estate for damages and emotional distress. He won a $21.7 million jury award in 1989, which was reduced to $5.5 million in 1991. Underwent emergency quintuple heart bypass surgery to relieve severely clogged coronary arteries in November 1981 after suffering chest pains, and began smoking again soon after leaving the hospital.

Consequently he was very frail during the filming of The Ambassador (1984), while in Israel during the winter of 1983-1984, and he did not get along with his alcoholic co-star Robert Mitchum . Died the same day as George Savalas . He and Savalas' older brother, Telly Savalas appeared in Pretty Maids All in a Row (1971). Hudson and his partner Marc Christian went out of their way while traveling near downtown Los Angeles, so that the couple could meet Michael Jackson during the filming of his award-winning music video, Michael Jackson: Thriller (1983). According to the book, "The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson", the original plan was to call him "Roc" but someone pointed out the possibility of confusion with the 1940s actress, Rochelle Hudson , so a "k" was added and "Roc" became "Rock". Hudson was diagnosed with AIDS on 5 June 1984 but when the signs of illness became apparent, his publicity staff and doctors told the public that he had liver cancer. Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives".

Volume One, 1981- 1985, pages 405-407. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998. His favorite performances were in Giant (1956) and Seconds (1966). When Hudson initially became ill with AIDS, his lover Marc Christian thought he had lung cancer because he was a heavy smoker. Became very close to Roman Gabriel while filming The Undefeated (1969). Following a right-shoulder injury in 1973, often used his left hand to write and pick up objects on McMillan & Wife (1971). Less than a month after announcing he had AIDS, Hudson wrote a check for $250,000 to help get the then-fledgling National AIDS Research Foundation (NARF) off the ground. Following his diagnosis of AIDS in June 1984, Hudson told his doctor that he hoped he would die from a heart attack (he had undergone an emergency quintuple heart bypass in 1981) before the public could find out the truth.

In 1977 he toured 13 cities as King Arthur in the musical "Camelot". He stayed at the White House in May 1984 as a guest of then President Ronald Reagan . First Lady Nancy Reagan wrote to Hudson saying how glad she and her husband were to see him looking well following his operation. A conservative Republican, Hudson joined Ronald Reagan , John Wayne , Irene Dunne and Raymond Massey in campaigning for Barry Goldwater in the 1964 presidential election. Made "Top 10 stars of the year" a record eight times from 1957 to 1964. His favorite of his films was the Cold War drama Ice Station Zebra (1968). Was very close friends with singer Dusty Springfield . Grew a mustache and sideburns for his role in The Undefeated (1969). Afterwards he decided to retain that look throughout the 1970s. Early in his career he had surgery on his vocal chords to make his voice deeper, and had his teeth capped. The surgery had the unfortunate side effect of making it impossible for Hudson to learn to sing.

Therefore when he played King Arthur in "Camelot" he had to talk his way through the songs, just as Rex Harrison did in My Fair Lady (1964). He was the original choice to play Jason Colby in the Dynasty (1981) spin off The Colbys (1985), but had to turn it down due to his declining health. The part went to Charlton Heston instead. Pat Boone was allowed inside Hudson's Hollywood mansion to pray for his soul as the actor lay dying. Ironically, according to his close friends, Hudson was a lifelong atheist. Was seriously considered for the male lead in Alfred Hitchcock 's Marnie (1964), and actually met with Hitchcock, but was turned down in favor of Sean Connery . In order to make A Farewell to Arms (1957), he turned down Marlon Brando 's role in Sayonara (1957), William Holden 's role in The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), and Charlton Heston 's role in Ben-Hur (1959).

The three films he had turned down went on to become hugely successful and were critically acclaimed, while A Farewell to Arms (1957) proved to be one of the biggest flops in history. At the time of his death, his estate was valued at $22 million. After announcing he had AIDS in July 1985, Hudson received telegrams of support from Frank Sinatra , Gregory Peck , Marlene Dietrich , James Garner , Carol Burnett , Ali MacGraw , Jack Lemmon , Richard Dreyfuss , Ava Gardner , Mickey Rooney , Milton Berle and Madonna . President Ronald Reagan , who had recently undergone surgery for colon cancer, personally telephoned him at the hospital. He was very near-sighted and wore glasses all the time off screen. He would rarely allow himself to be photographed wearing glasses though. Although Hudson never publicly came out as gay during his lifetime, he did authorize a biography by Sara Davidson, "Rock Hudson: His Story" (1986), which discussed his private life in great detail. In the last 18 months of his life, his weight dropped from 215 lbs to 140 lbs.

He weighed 126 lbs at the time of his death. Had a priceless record collection, which was taken by Marc Christian after his death. He stood six foot by the time he was fourteen. An accomplished bridge player. He had always been critical of plastic surgery, although in 1981 he had surgery on his eyelids after a cameraman convinced him it would make him look better on screen. He actively sought the leading role in Ice Station Zebra (1968), and after Laurence Harvey backed out of the project, Hudson was cast. He was very disappointed by the box office failure of Seconds (1966), which he considered to be his best performance and had hoped would show the public that he could be a versatile film actor. In 1979 he was involved in a DUI incident when he crashed his car into a palm tree in Los Angeles late one night. Once said he knew had made it in Hollywood after he received more applause and cheers at the premiere of Bend of the River (1952) than the film's star, James Stewart .

He was Universal Studio's first choice to play Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), but was rejected as being too young at 36. Along with Cary Grant , he was regarded as one of the best-dressed male stars in Hollywood. In the summer of 1966 he was released from his studio contract after filming Tobruk (1967) and proceeded to work independently for the rest of his career. It is not known how he contracted AIDS. In Sara Davidson's biography of him, she (quoting a friend indirectly) speculates that he might have picked up the virus through blood transfusions related to his 1981 heart surgery. He signed a contract with Universal Studios to do McMillan & Wife (1971) in 1971 for one of the largest salaries ever seen in television at the time. Although commonly listed as 6'4", he is believed to have downplayed his height. His character is repeatedly referred to as being 6'6" in the film Pillow Talk (1959) and, upon co-starring with John Wayne and James Stewart , he was clearly taller than those very tall stars.

Many sources list him 6'5", which would put him as equal to Vince Vaughn , Tim Robbins and, the tallest leading man per the Guinness Book of World Records, Christopher Lee as the tallest leading men. His agent subtracted two years from his date of birth--from 1925 to 1923--in order to get Hudson more mature roles. Was in talks, with Doris Day and Tony Randall , for a Pillow Talk (1959) sequel at the time he was diagnosed was AIDS. The story reportedly would have him and Doris Day's character being married and dealing with their daughter's upcoming marriage to Tony Randall's son. Universal agreed to loan Hudson to his original studio Warner Bros. in exchange for the services of Warner contractee Virginia Mayo for the potboiler Congo Crossing (1956). MGM offered Universal $750,000 for Hudson to play the starring role in Ben-Hur (1959) but the studio refused. After Husdon had chosen his new name Rock, when it was suggested by agent Henry Willson , the actor objected when Universal tried to shorten the spelling to Roc.

After Raoul Walsh sold Rock Hudson's contract to Universal, he retained the right to his services in one film. This was ultimately settled a decade later, when Walsh was assigned a percentage of the profits from Come September (1961). Hudson was assigned to The Golden Blade (1953) only after Tony Curtis and Farley Granger turned it down. Hollywood writer Sidney Skilosky coined the cliché "Beefcake" to describe Hudson. Despite playing their father in Giant (1956), Hudson was just 6 years older than Carroll Baker , 9 years older than Fran Bennett and 11 years older than Dennis Hopper . In June 2014, he was honored as Turner Classic Movies' Star of the Month. His father left the family and his mother married Wallace Fitzgerald. Hudson's legal name was then changed from Scherer to Fitzgerald. His father was of German and Swiss-German descent. His maternal grandfather was an English immigrant, and his maternal grandmother was born in Illinois, to Irish parents. Personal Quotes (24) His legal name was Roy Fitzgerald. When meeting John F.

Kennedy , the American president remarked: "They say all Fitzgeralds are related", to which Hudson replied, "I guess that would make Ella happy". I had to overcome the name Rock. If I'd been as hip then as I am now, I would have never consented to be named Rock. John Wayne was then the Hollywood legend, and I was on screen with him. The guy is an angel. He saved my life back then when no other film maker wanted to know me. - On The Undefeated (1969) I did a movie [ The Undefeated (1969)] with Duke Wayne [ John Wayne ] and was very surprised to find out he had small feet, wore lifts, and a corset. Hollywood is seldom what it seems. I can't play a loser - I don't look like one. I have no philosophy about acting or anything else. You just do it. And I mean that. You just do it. However, I can say that with ease after thirty-five years. "I am not happy that I am sick. I am not happy that I have AIDS.

But if that is helping others, I can at least know that my own misfortune has had some positive worth." (1985) (In the early 1980s, before his sickness was publicly known) " I always consider my job just as someone working in an office. Past 5 P.M., I lead my very own existence far from the cameras. It's essential for an actor to clearly separate private life from work... essential for me, anyway." I also remember meeting Gary Cooper at a party. I was so impressed that I blurted out that all the stars I had met before had been terrific people. Cooper thought about it for a minute, then said, "Yes, I suppose we are, the ones who are on top. But watch out for the ones who haven't quite made it, or are past it." It was valuable advice. [on Elizabeth Taylor ] She's indestructible. Someone asked me once what my philosophy of life was, and I said some crazy thing. I should have said, how the hell do I know? I love to smoke. I keep hoping someone will discover it's a healthy habit because the smoke kills all the germs in your system.

I love to drink, and I hate exercise. I don't mind going out on the side of a hill and chopping down a tree, but I hate organized exercise. I built a gym in my house but I never use it. I don't even like to walk through it. Nobody is discovered. Ever. Publicity departments loved to say that Lana Turner was discovered sitting at a soda fountain counter, drinking a chocolate soda ... It isn't true. I mean, there are too many interesting-looking people on Earth for that to ever happen. It was the biggest mistake of my career. - On A Farewell to Arms (1957) It was better than I thought. Why didn't I put more into it? - On McMillan & Wife (1971) I welcome my birthdays. Relish them, as a matter of fact. I have confidence now and can look forward to trying new things. I don't think fifty was a crucial age. Forty was, and thirty-nine because I was facing forty. But lately everything has fallen into place. (1983) I've heard that rumor for years and I just don't care about it. I know lots of gays in Hollywood.

Some have tried it on with me, but I've always said, 'Come on, you've got the wrong guy!' As soon as they know that, it's okay! (1978) Television is the monster of all time that eats everything and everybody. When they wanted McMillan & Wife (1971) to go to two hours I said, 'Why? The thing doesn't even hold up for ninety minutes!'. Right from the start, I hated the script. I just didn't believe in that man for one minute. Making fun of death is difficult and dangerous. That scene where I went out and bought a plot for myself in the cemetery - to me it was completely distasteful. - On Send Me No Flowers (1964) If you're cast in crap like Taza, Son of Cochise (1954), it doesn't matter if you experiment with a scene and it goes wrong. Who's gonna notice? But if it works, you can use it in a better film. Like Giant (1956), perhaps. Do you want to know the secret of my second youth? Well, it must have something to do with my being surrounded by men.

Women put too much of a strain on the heart! (1984) [After walking out of Los Angeles premiere of 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)] Will someone tell me what the hell this is about? He was like ol' Dad to me, and I was like a son to him, I think. When you're scared and new and you're trying to figure out this thing, and suddenly an older man will reach out and say, 'There, there, it's okay,' that was Douglas Sirk . [on the scene in Pillow Talk (1959) in which he carries Doris Day through the streets of Manhattan] "I could have managed if only one take had been involved, but we went on endlessly, primarily because there was a bit actor who played a cop on the street, and as we passed him, Doris' line was 'Officer, arrest this man,' and the cop was supposed to say to me, 'How you doing, Brad?' but that stupid actor kept calling me Rock. So back to our marks we went for another take and another and another. I'll bet we did that scene twenty times.

That's why we had the shelf for Doris to sit on." (Hudson ultimately had to carry Day on a shelf after numerous takes.) Salary (6) Rock Hudson - Film Actor - Biography.com Rock Hudson Noted for his exceptional good looks and comedic film performance, Rock Hudson was an iconic actor who, later in life, contracted and died from the AIDS virus. IN THESE GROUPS » quotes “As you get older, you learn to keep your mouth shut more, because you never know how badly you're going to embarrass yourself later.” “I always consider my job just as someone working in an office. Past 5 p.m., I lead my very own existence far from the cameras. It's essential for an actor to clearly separate private life from work ... essential for me, anyway.” Rock Hudson Synopsis Born on November 17, 1925, in Winnetka, Illinois, Rock Hudson began his career as a heartthrob, recognized widely for his good looks. Critics acknowledged his acting talent in Giant (1956), which also starred heavy-hitters Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean.

He co-starred with Doris Day in many hit films, including Pillow Talk (1959), Lover Come Back (1961) and Send Me No Flowers (1964). In 1984, Hudson was diagnosed with AIDS. The following year, he became one of the first celebrities to disclose both his homosexuality and AIDS diagnosis. Hudson was the first major celebrity to die from an AIDS-related illness, on October 2, 1985, at age 59, in Beverly Hills, California. Early Life Rock Hudson was born Roy Harold Scherer Jr. on November 17, 1925, in Winnetka, Illinois, and would go on to become an immensely popular actor, recognized widely for his good looks. During the Great Depression, His father, Roy Harold Scherer, lost his job as an auto mechanic and left the family. When Hudson was age 8, his mother, Katherine Wood, remarried and the actor took the surname of his stepfather, Wallace Fitzgerald. Growing up, Hudson did not excel academically, but had a certain charisma that made him popular among classmates.

Hollywood and Early Success In 1944, Rock Hudson joined the U.S. Navy and served in the Philippines. Shortly after his discharge in 1946, he decided to move to Hollywood, California, to pursue an acting career. While he found work as a truck driver, most of his free time was spent hanging around the studios and handing out headshots to studio executives. It's not surprising that people soon began to take notice of the aspiring actor, with his good looks and charm. In 1947, talent scout Henry Wilson took an interest in Hudson, taking the soon-to-be actor on as his protégé and crafting the moniker by which he's now best known: "Rock" for the rock of Gibraltar, and "Hudson" for the Hudson River. Hudson had no professional training as an actor, which proved a difficult feat to overcome. After a few setbacks, Hudson broke into the business, acquiring a contract with Warner Brothers and landing his first role in the feature film Fire Squadron. In 1948, Universal Pictures bought out Hudson's contract with Warner Brothers and provided him with acting lessons.

Acclaimed Actor Hudson went on to play bit roles in a number of films until he was hired as a lead in Douglas Sirk's Magnificent Obsession. This film established Hudson as a star and his career, subsequently, began to skyrocket. He starred in several dramatic movies, including the critically acclaimed Giant (1956), which also starred heavy-hitters Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean. Hudson received an Academy Award nomination for his performance in the film. A pivotal period for Hudson's career came in 1959. He was cast opposite Doris Day in Pillow Talk, the first of a film series in which he portrayed the romantic lead. The dashing actor quickly became a heartthrob; women lusted after him and men wanted to be him. He paired with Day in a number of later films, including Lover Come Back (1961) and Send Me No Flowers (1964). In 1966, the actor took a chance and accepted a role that was well out of his now-normal spectrum: He starred in John Frankenheimer's Seconds, a sci-fi thriller that wasn't well-received by audiences.

In 1971, Rock Hudson joined the cast of the popular television investigative series Macmillin and Wife. In the '80s, he appeared on the show Dynasty. Personal Life and AIDS Hudson married Phyllis Gates, an aspiring actress, in 1955. Unbeknownst to Phyllis, the marriage was arranged by her employer, Hudson's agent, Henry Wilson, to keep up appearances. A gay man, Hudson was not outward about his homosexuality due to the social stigma surrounding the topic at the time; he feared that publicly discussing it would be negative for his career. The marriage lasted for only three years; while Hudson was in Italy filming 1957's A Farewell to Arms, the couple divorced. Throughout his career, Rock Hudson's public image remained untarnished, but his private life was somewhat torturous. He had a number of homosexual lovers, but continued to keep his sexuality a secret. In June 1984, Hudson went to visit a doctor about an irritation on his neck. The irritation turned out to be a lesion and a sign of Kaposi sarcoma, a cancerous tumor that affects AIDS patients.

Rock Hudson was diagnosed with AIDS on June 5, 1984. A year later, on Jul 25, 1985, he publicly announced that he was suffering from the disease—becoming one of the first celebrities to do so, as well as one of the first to disclose his homosexuality. His openness was a catalyst for public awareness of the worldwide epidemic. Hudson spent the remainder of his life surrounded by friends and family. He died from AIDS-related complications on October 2, 1985, at the age of 59, in Beverly Hills, California. He was the first major celebrity to die from an AIDS-related illness. Today, Rock Hudson is remembered not only for his legacy as a talented screen actor, but for his courageous choice to go public about his AIDS diagnosis. Related Videos Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us ! Citation Information Rock Hudson | American actor | Britannica.com American actor Alternative Titles: Roy Fitzgerald, Roy Harold Scherer, Jr.

Rock Hudson Elvis Presley Rock Hudson, original name Roy Harold Scherer, Jr., later Roy Fitzgerald (born November 17, 1925, Winnetka , Illinois , U.S.—died October 2, 1985, Beverly Hills , California ), American actor noted for his good looks and movie roles during the 1950s and ’60s and popular television series in the 1970s. A popular actor of modest talent, Hudson was one of the first known Hollywood celebrities to die of AIDS-related complications; the extensive publicity surrounding his death drew attention to the disease. Rock Hudson and Jane Wyman in All That Heaven Allows (1955), directed by … © 1955 Universal International Pictures; photograph from a private collection After serving in the navy during World War II , Roy Fitzgerald went to Hollywood in 1946 to pursue an acting career. He found work as a truck driver but spent his spare time idling outside of studio gates and sending photographs of himself to various producers.

In 1947 talent scout Henry Willson took an interest in him and invented a new name for his protégé: Rock Hudson—Rock for the Rock of Gibraltar and Hudson for the Hudson River . Despite a number of initial setbacks, owing to a complete lack of training as an actor, Hudson signed with Warner Brothers and played his first role in Fighter Squadron (1948). A year later, his contract was purchased by Universal Pictures , which provided him with some much-needed acting lessons. At Universal, Hudson graduated from bit parts to larger roles in a succession of westerns and adventure films, and he completed some 28 films in six years. He played a leading role in Douglas Sirk ’s tearjerker Magnificent Obsession (1954) as a repentant scoundrel who selflessly dedicates himself to the woman he accidentally blinded. The film established Hudson as a star, and he went on to play sympathetic protagonists in several more of Sirk’s melodramas and stylized “women’s pictures.” Hudson’s best film role is considered to be that of an earnest, old-fashioned Texas cattle baron in Giant (1956), for which he received an Academy Award nomination.

By the end of the 1950s, Hudson had become one of Hollywood’s most popular and profitable male stars. Rock Hudson and Dorothy Malone in Written on the Wind (1956), directed by … Copyright © 1956 Universal Pictures Company, Inc. During the 1960s Hudson moved away from sentimentality and melodrama to play the series of roles for which he is best known. Paired with Doris Day in Pillow Talk (1959), Lover Come Back (1961), and Send Me No Flowers (1964), Hudson proved that he had a significant talent for light comedy. He repeated the success of those films in other sex farces, notably director Howard Hawks ’s Man’s Favorite Sport? (1964), in which Hudson delivered a performance compared by critics to Cary Grant at his best. Britannica Stories Actor Rock Hudson, 59, Victim Of Aids - tribunedigital-chicagotribune Actor Rock Hudson, 59, Victim Of Aids October 03, 1985|By Mary T. Schmich and Gene Siskel.

Rock Hudson died in his sleep in his Beverly Hills home Wednesday, 10 weeks after becoming the first celebrity to announce that he had AIDS. He was 59. Mr. Hudson died at 9 a.m. (11 a.m. Chicago time) with only a few members of his staff present. In his final, secluded weeks, Mr. Hudson had become a hero and public curiosity in ways that transcended his fame. To millions who knew him as one of Hollywood`s suavest, sexiest, most wholesome stars, his recent gaunt appearance and the apparent confirmation of the decades-old rumors that he was homosexual were shocking. Mr. Hudson had known for more than a year that he had acquired immune deficiency syndrome but did not reveal it until July, after being rushed to the American Hospital in Paris, where he had sought an experimental treatment. Eight days after entering the hospital, his illness public, he chartered a Boeing 747 home. Mr. Hudson`s disclosure was praised widely as courageous. By giving AIDS a face--the square-jawed face of one of Hollywood`s last classically romantic men--he intensified public, political and scientific interest in the incurable disease.

``He has always been a class act,`` actor Robert Stack told People magazine. ``By openly disclosing his condition, he has shown that he is also quite selfless.`` ``Rock`s illness has united our entertainment community in a massive fight against this dreaded disease,`` said ``Dynasty`` producer Aaron Spelling to United Press International. ``We can only hope that his death has not been in vain and that the entire country will contribute to stamping out this deadly plague of AIDS.`` At the White House, President Reagan issued a statement saying: ``Nancy and I are saddened by the news of Rock Hudson`s death. He will always be remembered for his dynamic impact on the film industry, and fans all over the world will certainly mourn his loss. He will be remembered for his humanity, his sympathetic spirit and well-deserved reputation for kindness. May God rest his soul.`` His close friends Elizabeth Taylor and Doris Day were among the stars who organized a Sept. 19 AIDS benefit in Los Angeles that raised $1 million. ``I am not happy that I am sick,`` Mr. Hudson wrote in a message that Burt Lancaster read at the gathering.

``I am not happy that I have AIDS; but if that is helping others, I can at least know that my own misfortune has had some positive worth.`` Mr. Hudson recently donated $250,000 to establish the American Foundation for AIDS Research in Beverly Hills. There will be no funeral for Hudson, whose remains were cremated, said publicist Dale Olson. In lieu of flowers, Mr. Hudson had asked that donations be made to the AIDS foundation, Olson said. Though Mr. Hudson never publicly acknowledged his homosexuality, it was an open secret in Hollywood. By revealing that he had AIDS, he not only heightened public awareness of the disease but dislodged at least a few misperceptions about homosexuality. ``This is a watershed in shattering the myth of what gay people are,`` New York writer Vito Russo, author of ``The Celluloid Closet`` about homosexuality in the movies, said recently. ``He really is gentle and macho and strong and soft-spoken--and gay. It shatters that old limp-wristed stereotype.`` Mr. Hudson was born Roy Scherer Jr. Nov.

17, 1925, in an apartment over a Walgreen`s drug store in Winnetka. His father, an auto mechanic, left the family when Mr. Hudson was young. His mother remarried, and Mr. Hudson took his stepfather`s name, becoming Roy Fitzgerald. After attending New Trier High School, he entered the Navy in World War II as an aircraft mechanic. When his Navy stint ended, he headed for California and $60 a week driving trucks. He bought a $55 tan gabardine suit and began hanging around studio lots hoping to be noticed. His picture landed on the desk of Henry Willson, a prominent agent who had made Arthur Gelien into Tab Hunter. Willson decided that the black-haired, broad-shouldered, 6-foot-4 Roy Fitzgerald had all the right stuff to make hearts flutter; all he needed was a name. According to Hollywood lore, Willson changed Roy to Rock in honor of the Rock of Gibraltar and Fitzgerald to Hudson in honor of the Hudson River. Though he initially said he hated the name, Mr. Hudson grew to like it enough to name his production company Gibraltar. Mr.

Hudson made his movie debut in 1948 in ``Fighter Squadron`` and was rarely out of work after that. He was the perfect star for the Eisenhower era--stolid, placid, devil-may-care, perhaps a little bland, more of an image than reality. He belonged to the transitional stage between the more flamboyant, action- oriented stars of the 1930s and `40s--the Cagneys, Bogarts, Flynns and Gables--and the more imploding, embittered antiheroes--the Brandos, Hoffmans and De Niros. Mr. Hudson could be as good as the scripts, as proven by ``Giant`` Message Boards Message Boards The website you are about to visit is ProGenealogists®, operated by TGN Services, LLC, a subsidiary of Ancestry. Search for content in message boards Names or keywords Scherer - Family History & Genealogy Message Board Subject Posted: 6 Aug 2002 3:20PM GMT Classification: Query Subject: Leroy [Roy] Harold Scherer Jr.

Alias: Roy Fitzgerald Born November 17, 1925 Winnetka, Cook Illinois Died October 2. 1985 Los Angeles California Spouse Phyllis Gates the secretary of his agent, Henry Wilson Parents Roy Harold Scherer Sr., Katherine Woods Occupation: Mail Carrier, Truck Driver, Navy Air plane Mechanic WWII & Movie Star. Cause of Death AIDS Intermentâ€”Ashes Scattered in The Pacific Ocean Married 1955 Beverly Hills California Divorced 1958 Beverly Hills California California Deaths, 1940-97 Ancestry.com Given Name Middle Name Sex Birth Date Death Date Birth Place Death Place Social Security # Mother's Maiden Name Father's Surname HUDSON ROCK MALE 17 Nov 1925 2 Oct 1985 ILLINOIS LOS ANGELES 354140316 WOOD No children.

Hudson with friend Doris Day in July 1985 (AP Photo) By BOB THOMAS Associated Press Write Rock Hudson Dies of AIDS LOS ANGELES - Rock Hudson, for two decades one of Hollywood's superstars, died today after a battle with AIDS that brought worldwide attention to the incurable disease. He was 59. He died peacefully in his sleep at his Beverly Hills home at 9 a.m., said his publicist, Dale Olson. Only members of his staff were present, Olson said. He said funeral arrangements had not been set. Hudson, who starred in 62 films before turning to television in such successful series as ''McMillan and Wife,'' ended his acting career with a 10-episode guest stint last season on the prime-time soap opera ''Dynasty.'' He showed the ravages of illness, his once-brawny frame gaunt and his face haggard. He discovered he had acquired immune deficiency syndrome in mid-1984 and entered the American Hospital in Paris July 21. He stayed just over a week before spending $250,000 on a chartered Air France 747 to return to Los Angeles.

Officials in Paris said Hudson's health was too poor to make him a good candidate for experimental therapy. Hollywood had rallied around the actor since his illness was disclosed. Cards and letters arrived by the bagful, while actors and actresses streamed in to boost Hudson's spirits. A star-studded Hollywood benefit, sparked by Hudson's illness, on Sept. 19 raised $1 million for AIDS research. ''I am not happy that I am sick,'' Hudson said in a message to the gathering. ''I am not happy that I have AIDS, but if that is helping others, I can, at least, know that my own misfortune has had some positive worth.'' A Rock Hudson Foundation to collect money for AIDS research was launched with a $250,000 contribution from Hudson and support from Nancy Reagan and Elizabeth Taylor. Olson said the screen idol had agreed to let Olson start the fundraising effort by sending letters of appeal to his fans. The most common victims of AIDS are homosexuals, intravenous drug users and hemophiliacs. The disease is believed to be spread through sexual contact, contaminated needles and blood transfusions.

As of Monday, there were 13,611 reported cases of AIDS in the United States, and 6,944 of the victims had died, according to the national Centers for Disease Control. The 6-foot-4, ruggedly handsome Hudson established himself as a perennial top-10 box office attraction during the 1950s and 1960s when big studios created stars and built movies around them. But he was anxious to shed his Hollywood hunk image and convince producers he could act. He got his chance in the 1956 film epic, ''Giant'' which earned him an Oscar nomination and a long-time friend in co-star Elizabeth Taylor. Hudson proved the most versatile of leading men, starring in such big-scale films as ''Something of Value,'' ''A Farewell to Arms,'' ''The Last Sunset'' and ''A Gathering of Eagles.'' He also delighted audiences in romantic comedies like ''Pillow Talk'' and ''Send Me No Flowers'' with leading lady Doris Day. ''Rock Hudson is the last major star to emerge from the Hollywood studio system,'' a film historian once wrote.

''He is a traditional romantic hero in an era when such types are exceedingly rare.'' Hudson was rarely without work after making his film debut in 1948. After 61 films, he turned to television, starring for six seasons as the police commissioner in ''McMillan and Wife'' with Susan Saint James. He returned to movies in 198 in ''The Mirror Crack'd,'' which also starred Miss Taylor. But it was to be his last full-length film. Television lured him back for ''The Devlin Connection.'' But in November, 1981, Hudson underwent a quadruple bypass operation on his heart which shut down production on the short-lived series. He vowed never to do a series again, but a Caribbean cruise and rest at his $3 million, 10-room stucco Spanish house overlooking Beverly Hills helped him regain his strength and change his mind. This past season, he returned on ABC-TV's ''Dynasty'' as adventurer millionaire Daniel Reece. Hudson was born Roy Scherer, Jr., on Nov. 17, 1925, in Winnetka, Ill., where he was once a postman. He later adopted his stepfather's name of Fitzgerald.

He served as a Navy air mechanic during World War II, then came to Hollywood where he worked as a truck driver. ''I saved up enough money to have some photographs made and sent them to every agent in town,'' he remembered. ''I went out to Hollywood to get into pictures. What hooked me, back home in Illinois, was seeing Jon Hall make that high dive from a mast in 'The Hurricane.''' He also invested $55 in a tan gabardine suit, and stood outside various studio lots, trying to attract producers. Agent Henry Willson sent for the young man and renamed him Rock Hudson. Willson had also changed Arthur Gelien to Tab Hunter and Robert Moseley to Guy Madison. At first, the acting hopeful hated the name, but in later years he tolerated it and even named his production company Gibraltar. ''I didn't know what else to call it,'' he explained. ''I couldn't name it after my kids - I don't have any. I certainly wouldn't name it after my ex-wife.

Nor any of my four dogs, and one of them is named 'Wee-wee.''' Hudson made his debut on the big screen in 1948 in ''Fighter Squadron,'' directed by Raoul Walsh. He was placed under contract at Universal Pictures where he made 22 features in one four-year period. ''That was good for me because I started with very little experience,'' he commented later. ''By the time I got my first good dramatic role in 'Magnificent Obsession,' I was ready for it. Then I had to fight, cajole and threaten to get the studio to loan me out for another film I wanted, 'Giant.''' He was once asked if he had any regrets as an actor? His reply: ''You bet. I regret 'Taza,' 'Son of Cochise,' 'The Desert Hawk,' 'The Golden Blade,' and all the rest of those dumb pictures. Movies like those never stop haunting you.'' Off screen, Hudson was a diffident, self-deprecating man, who took perverse pleasure in citing such reviews as: ''There was a Rock Hudson or something in the movie.'' For years rumors persisted that Hudson, contrary to his lady's man image, was homosexual.

The reports flourished anew when it was announced Hudson was suffering from AIDS. People magazine reported Hudson had been gay since beginning in films and that his 1955 marriage to his agent's secretary, Phyllis Gates, was set up by Universal Studios to discourage the rumors. The newlyweds had a much-publicized honeymoon in Florida, but they separated the following year and were divorced in 1958. Hudson never remarried. Olson would not confirm if Hudson was homosexual, saying, ''There has never been any definitive statement about that from anyone, including Rock himself.'' The actor once talked about his greatest thrill in stardom. ''Well, once I parked my car across the street from a movie showing my first successful comedy film, and sat there alone in the dark and watched the audience come out laughing, arm in arm, and I knew that I'd helped them have a pleasant evening. I felt good about it.'' ''That probably sounds a little corny, but it's so.'' Rock Hudson Heritage Rock Hudson - RoyalWeb Rock Hudson Jump to: navigation , search Rock Hudson, (1925-1985), US Actor I am a professional genealogist.

Contact me, if you'd like help in tracing your family tree, by clicking the below button. This article should be cited as: "Rock Hudson", by Will Johnson, professional genealogist wjhonson@aol.com , at CountyHistorian.com URL: , copyright 2007-8, all rights reserved. This page is locked, if you'd like to add or correct anything, please email me. I am available for hire to assist you to trace your family or create a biography of you or your relative. I charge $25 per hour. If you enjoy the research done here, consider making a financial contribution to keep research like this going. Contents Biography Childhood Rock Hudson was an American actor, born as Roy Harold Scherer, Jr on 17 Nov 1925 in Winnetka, Cook County, Illinois , the son of Roy Harold Scherer, Sr an auto mechanic, and his wife Katherine "Kay" Wood (d. 1977), who had just married the year before. Kay was the daughter of James Wood and Mary Ellen unknown. Roy Sr left the family in 1932 and went to California.

Rock's obit in the NYT states that Roy had lost his job during the Depression. After Roy left, Kay started dating Wallace "Wally" FitzGerald who worked shoveling coal at the Winnetka Water Works. Kay and Wally married when Rock was eight, and Wally adopted Roy who became Roy FitzGerald. Roy FitzGerald went to New Trier High School. Wally and Kay fought and he would beat her and Roy. They divorced, Kay married him a second time, and they divorced again when Roy was fifteen. Kay became a live-in housekeeper for a wealthy family. For several years they lived above Walgreen's Drug Store. To California "Roy Fitzgerald enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943 and was shipped on the S.S. Lew Wallace, a Kaiser Liberty ship, to Samar, a sandy island in the Philippines." (Rock Hudson: His Story, p42) (His obit in the NYT says he enlisted in 1944.) He was shipped home in 1946 and decided to go to California because his father, was living in Long Beach, with a new wife and a daughter.

He lived with his father for a short time, but it didn't work out well. He found a job driving for Budget Pack. In Long Beach, for the first time, he met men who were open about being gay. One of these was Kenneth G Hodge . "...Ken Hodge had worked in radio for many years, producing Lux Radio Theatre . Ken was thirty-six and Roy was twenty-one...he lived in a penthouse...in the Chateau Marmont , a building owned by his Aunt Bernadette." (His Story, p 43) Roy and Kenneth met in the Summer of 1947. Davison relates a story told her by Herbert Millspaugh , claiming to describe how the name "Rock Hudson" came about. "I received a letter from Herbert Millspaugh, a retired clerk in San Francisco, who said he had been present the day Roy Fitzgerald was named Rock Hudson. He included names, dates and supporting photographs In the summer of 1947, Millspaugh said, he was living in Long Beach, working for the Texas Oil Company, hanging out by the Villa Riviera and going to parties at the penthouse of Ken Hodge.

Ken introduced him to an extremely handsome young man he'd just met, Roy Fitzgerald, who wanted to be an actor. One sunday, a group of Ken's friends walked back from the beach to Ken's apartment, fixed gin and tonics and started trying to think up a name for the actor. "Ken wanted a name that suggested strength," Millspaugh said. "Someone came up with Rock. Then we looked through the Long Beach phone book to find a second name that sounded right. We came up with Hudson. Everything you've read in the press duing the last forty years about the origin of the name is malarkey." (His Story, p 44) Millspaugh also told this story on The E! True Hollywood Story:Rock Hudson . Robert Hefler claims that this Herbert died in 1999, however that Herbert A Millspaugh who died in Florida was born in 1917 in Indiana and more damning, his SSN was issued from Indiana. The chance that he moved from Indiana to California by 1947 is diminished. Checking the U.S. Public Records Index, I find a Herbert E Millspaugh, age 82, listed in San Francisco.

And I find him in the 1970 San Francisco Telephone directory at the same address. It's interesting that it's implied that they lived in the Chateau Marmont in one place, but in the Villa Riviera in another. The Villa Riviera is at 800 East Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach (see here ). To Hollywood Together, Roy and Ken left Long Beach and moved to Hollywood where they shared a bungalow in the hills. Kenneth worked his contacts and threw parties to introduce his protege. At one of these, Roy met Henry Willson . Without Ken's knowledge, Roy contacted Willson, they signed a contract and Willson became his agent. A short time later, Kenneth moved back to Long Beach, alone. Davidson reports that "..Roy's first check, made out to "Roy FitzGerald" from Vanguard Films of Culver City is endorsed on the back "Roy FitzGerald, Pay to the Order of Rock Hudson, Kenneth G Hodge" Hudson's first named role, according to his Wikipedia article was in Fighter Squadron in 1948. Early Career Rock appeared in the film Giant starring opposite Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean . It was Dean's last picture, he died in a car accident.

Phyllis Gates' in her autobiography relates that when Rock heard the news he start sobbing because he had wished Dean dead and now he was dead. Death

Question: Roy Fitzgerald was the real name of which Hollywood actor?
Answer: ROCK HUDSON